


While Hearing the Sound of Rain

by SantaManana



Category: Samurai of Hyuga (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: "disclaimer: the word 'rain' will be used 101 times" - Flaine, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Camping in the woods while on the run, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fun!, Gen, Is this still a roadtrip AU if it's actually canon?, Masashi and Masami as twins, Rain - lots of it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 09:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20598482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SantaManana/pseuds/SantaManana
Summary: Five weeks, Toshio had said.  That’s how long it would take for the group to journey from Jijinto to Tonogasha.  It would have been shorter if not for the heavy summer rains, the muddy roads, and the fact that one of them was bleeding out in a cart.  But despite the danger and the cold, the laughter and stories everyone shared made the trip a little more bearable.A moment between the Samurai of Hyuga’s main cast on the road trip to Tonogasha during Book 2.  (Touches on some of Devon Connell’s Patreon side stories, but it's not necessary to have read them beforehand).  Title comes from Kashiwa Daisuke’s OST for Makoto Shinkai’s film The Garden of Words.





	While Hearing the Sound of Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I’ve been a fan of SoH for a while and decided to try writing for it. Some background on this version of SoH before you begin: Masashi and Masami are both here as twins, with two bodyguards, Akane and Kenji. While both ronin have been tasked by the emperor to hunt down demons, Akane was Gensai’s student while Kenji is a wanted man on the run from his past, which will be hinted at here. Other than that, not much is changed from canon. Now enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: Samurai of Hyuga and all of its story/characters belong to Devon Connell

Before that terrible night, perhaps the rain would have been welcomed by the people of Jijinto, a cherished friend to chase away the hellish heat of summer. 

The storm began as a few drops when Kenji collapsed after the battle with Shiroyama and Akane broke into a desperate run to Raijingu Dojo, where Jun was waiting for her with Masashi, Masami, and a choice. Then it grew into a steady drizzle as Toshio sprinted up the wooden steps; he found Masami sobbing over Akane with one hand pressed to her throat and Masashi, shocked and white-faced, pressing down on his bodyguard's stomach, his small hands stained redder by the minute. Now the rain continued as an unforgiving downpour as Hatch carefully laid down Akane's bandaged body by the supplies in the cart and their group stepped outside the city gates. 

Maybe they shouldn't have left Jijinto. At least the seven of them could have stayed somewhat dry—sheltered under the rickety, patchy roof of Hatch’s grandfather's dojo instead of escaping this way: trying their best to wipe streams of water out their eyes and ignore the squelch of mud under soggy sandals.

If the rain had turned the road into little more than a muddy stream and their cart a poor boat moving slowly along the current, then Toshio was the helmsman, fording the way with a grip on the horse's reins and eyes on the stars, reading the constellations to plot their next move. And that was apparently Tonogasha, a small but well-to-do mountain hamlet in the east.

“Five weeks,” Toshio had announced last night as they sat in a circle in the dojo in dim candlelight. “That’s how long it will take for us to journey from Jijinto to Tonogasha. Normally, it would take four weeks _ if _ we traverse the main routes—” he pointed at the solid line on the map, connecting Jijinto to a village marked past some forests and mountains, “—but the weather and road conditions are no longer in our favor.” His fingers traced a dotted path branching off to the side. “It is better to take the back roads, longer as they are.” 

“Even so, we must move as quickly and discreetly as possible; we have already lost time gathering supplies and medicines— ” his eyes flickered over to Momoko, who had pulled the futon higher over Akane's sleeping form, “—and acquiring the horse and cart. Precious time that our enemies are using to search for the two ronin who have killed the largest crime boss in Jijinto. A power vacuum that immense always has consequences, ones that I would rather not catch us.”

Everyone else noted that he conveniently didn't mention another reason why they were running. Akane, with her now-deathly pallor and her shallow breaths, would benefit from finding a stable, _ safe _ place to heal. _ Away from _ him _ . Away from “Jun”, _ they all thought. 

So here they were, walking in the rain. Of course, by the end of the third day’s travels, after trudging in the stinking mud and getting drenched (because Hatch was using the only umbrella to try to cover Akane), everyone was fed up.

And by fed up, they were alternating between sullen silence and complaining every hour, until even the normally jovial Kenji dropped his tight grin and forcefully asked Toshio to stop the horse so that “Everyone can get some damn rest,” despite the ninja’s protest to keep moving.

“You know, as good as I look wet," Kenji drawled as he slicked back strands of his brown hair from his eyes and winced again at the soreness of his bandaged arms, "it’s actually lightened to a drizzle. A _ drizzle _.” He pointed to the sky, where it had turned from the charcoal darkness of thunderstorms to the mere grey of an overcast day. And indeed, only a weak pitter-patter was descending now. “This is the driest we’re gonna be this whole trip, so might as well make a stop,” Kenji argued. And Toshio had to agree when he looked at everyone else and saw them avoiding eye contact or nodding with barely concealed relief at Kenji's suggestion.

So they led the horse off to the side of the road, slowly maneuvering the cart as to not jostle Akane awake. Beneath the shelter of some trees, they tried to wring out as much water as they could from their kimonos and haoris. Except one. Masashi quickly walked off to the left, not even grimacing as he trampled through tall grasses and dripping bushes in his way. Masami frowned and hurried after her brother. He had been oddly silent after talking with Akane in the cart, listening to his bodyguard promise to never leave him alone again between pained gasps. 

“Oi, where ya goin’?” called out Hatch. Kenji noticed and started after them, but upon seeing Masami’s worried glance tossed back over her shoulder, he stopped himself. 

“He, er, needs to find a less...muddy place to d-dry himself off! I'll watch over him.” Masami lied quickly, thankful that Kenji was holding back Hatch as well. It wasn’t too often that her more protective bodyguard let her or her brother be or not walk a few paces behind them, whistling and resting his hand on his sword. Masashi continued walking off without looking back.

She followed her twin into a clearing about fifty paces away, within shouting distance of the group but far enough to have some privacy. He had stopped and now squatted at the edge of a puddle, staring at a maple leaf floating in the water. Masami squatted next to him, carefully gathering up the bottom of her red kimono with one hand to avoid even more mud stains. She held the sleeve of her other hand over her brother in an attempt to keep him dry; it didn't matter, Masashi stared into the pond as a few raindrops ran down his face or dripped from his long ponytail.

After a minute, Masashi asked, “Do you remember the family gardens?”

Masami, puzzled, began to list what she remembered of their old home: "Yes, with the rock garden, the camellia hedges, the flower viewing pagoda, and-"

"-the maples," Masashi added. He picked out the leaf from the pool of rainwater, turning the five-pointed star around as if imagining how summer's green would be burned away by autumn's red on the edge of it. After another quiet moment, his voice dropped to a whisper. "Remember? We used to pretend that these were dragon boats and float them in the koi pond because Father wouldn't let us see the real races down at the Tarai River. Before..."

Oh. “Before”. _ Before _. Whatever reply Masami thought of while waiting for her brother to explain now died in her open mouth. She chewed her lip and tried again. 

She looked at him with steady eyes so he knew that she knew what he was talking about. “Back then,” she started slowly, “when we were separated and locked into rooms on opposite sides of the estate... I know it was for our own good, so we could learn to control our powers. But to be honest? It was most...difficult, not being able to talk to anyone, not even the servants that came by to deliver food outside the doors. But worst of all, not being able to see you for an entire year.”

She closed her eyes at the memories. Of her desperately meditating under the haze of heavy incense while her magic swirled and tore around her room, shredding papers, upending furniture, buckling under her command like an untamed stallion. Was it like that for her twin too? Did he also spend nights curled under the futon with tears streaming down his face? Or watched the sun rise through the window, wondering if this was the last day? Did he also look desperately for her in the spirit realm, Pan-kun the red panda perched on his shoulder as he searched for his counterpart? 

“But there was one really good thing that year.” Masami opened her eyes and rolled them at her brother’s incredulous look. “Remember what you wrote to me?” She placed a hand over her heart and recited:

_ [I saw a woman by the river, staring at a broken bridge. _

_ “Miss,” I called out. “Do you need some help crossing?” _

_ “You,” she answered, “Don’t you remember me?”] _

A beat. Then, Masashi recited the reply she sent back:

[_“I’m sorry,” I frowned. “But I do not recall your name.” _

_ “Still, a man should recognize the face of his regrets.” _

_ Here in the moonlight, crickets chirped as we fell silent.] _

Masami nodded. “You were a genius! Why, sending hidden messages in the poems—I never would have thought of that! And having_ Onee-san_ hide them into the books she would sneak to us for our “studies”... Father and Mother would have been furious if they learned we were staying in contact right under their noses!”

She leaned back on her heels and sighed, “Those messages, I looked forward to them every day. They and _Onee-san’s_ visits got me through that year. _ We _ got through that year. But I realized I never got to thank you, for how much you helped me even though you weren’t with me. We were sent off to the Academy so suddenly after all. So, um—” And she turned to her brother with a shy smile on her face but stopped. Masashi was rubbing his eyes furiously, but she knew it wasn’t because the rain had gotten into them. “Oh, come here, you _baka_!” She opened her arms and moved towards him.

Small arms just like her own wrapped tightly around her body and a face she knew as her own reflection hid in the crook of her neck. The two of them clung to each other just as how moss and lichen cling to trees as they seek the sun.

“I’m s-so sorry!” he sobbed. “I-I was so scared! I should have fought—I should have helped you! I _ hate _ that I couldn’t do anything when he threw me to the floor and you almost—!” He gasped for breath. “And Jun kept saying those ho-horrible t-things! Kenji wouldn’t—! Akane would never—!” 

“I know, I was so scared too!” she murmured as she felt her own tears well up in the corner of her eyes. “But you know? We’re here, we’re alright. The gods were watching over us that night.” She thought of the heavy jade necklace hidden beneath her kimono folds—the one with a deep gouge across it instead of her throat—and trembled. 

She continued: “But if Jun didn’t choose me, if he had hurt you instead...” Her hands slowly slid up and down Masashi’s back, the same way their older brother did whenever the twins saw a baby bird that had fallen out of a tree or when they tripped on their kimonos and managed to rip the fabric. The same way he comforted them when they were little before he married and left for the capitol in an opulent eight-horse drawn carriage (he promised to write, but the letters came less and less each passing year and stopped when they went to the Academy). The two held onto each other for longer until she heard his hiccups and sniffles easing down, signaling the end of his outburst. 

“_Masashi-kun_, you _baka_,” she said fondly. “You really are a crybaby.”

He drew back and scoffed. “You’re crying too! And I’m not a baby if I was born three minutes after you!”

“Three minutes too slow,” she sang, slipping comfortably back into their years-old argument.

“But not too slow for this!” And he stuck out his tongue at her as he skimmed the surface of the puddle and flicked muddy water at her. 

She reeled back and gasped. “Masashi! My kimono is soaked! It’s so dirty already—and you _ know _ how much I hate that!” 

“Nyeh,” he retorted and pulled down the skin beneath his right eye with one finger to taunt her. “Who’s the dramatic crybaby now?” Then he yelped as his sister stomped down into the puddle, splashing him with even more mud. 

“You!” Masami said with glee in her voice.

“No, you!” Masashi said with a grin mirroring his sister’s.

_ Us, _ they thought simultaneously as they chased each other, flung water at one another, and floated dragon boats made from maple leaves side-by-side. Weak sunbeams began to shine through the clouds as only the heavens watched them play. 

* * *

Back at the cart, Hatch was pacing around. “Do you think the kids are fine? No, they can’t be fine, they’ve been gone for a while. Did I say something? Was it the joke? I know that the joke about the monk and the vendor is cheesy but I’d thought they’d like it! Kids like jokes! Kenji, why didn’t you go after them?!” He turned to the man resting against the cart's wheel, sitting on the ground with one leg folded up.

Kenji half-growled, half-sighed. “I told you before, there aren’t any wild animals here and we’re out of sight from the road. If something happened to them, we would’ve _ definitely _heard something by now. Let’s give it another minute or two before we come to the rescue, yeah?” Still, his eyebrows remained furrowed and his fingers switched from drumming on the sheath of the katana laid across his lap to playing with the strap of the odachi by his side leaning against the cart. 

Hatch twisted his mouth into a pout. “I don’t know... did you see how the little miss looked? And Masashi... it’s not right, no one should have to see that—” he gulped.

“We should be there for him!” Hatch declared and started walking towards the direction of the twins. He made two steps before Toshio grabbed him by the arm and forced him still. 

“Stop, Hachirobei. Listen. Do you hear that?” 

They fell silent, listening to the sounds of gentle rain, faint bird chirps, and...

“They’re... laughing,” said Momoko softly, as she raised her head and craned her neck to hear better.

Kenji settled back against the cart. “Those kids,” he chuckled. “Don’t they know we’re on the run?” A grin—the first real one since that night—began to tug at a corner of his lips.

“Let’s leave them be. After all, it’s a beautiful [morning](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RCQWnhkdMY&list=PLAv5NxX9RNosLzr6JhrRLo6-Od4XSI0mM), isn’t it?”

  
  
  
  



End file.
